WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:14.600 This is Hacker Public Radio Episode 3,822 for Tuesday the 28th of March 2023. 00:14.600 --> 00:19.920 Today's show is entitled, A Tale of Wonder, Oxston, Woe. 00:19.920 --> 00:23.920 It is hosted by Bookworm and is about nine minutes long. 00:23.920 --> 00:26.560 It carries a clean flag. 00:26.560 --> 00:40.640 The summary is, by sifting a COVID watch issued by Hong Kong Department of Health. 00:40.640 --> 00:47.800 Greetings Hacker Public Radio Bookworm reporting from a cave on a hill near fresh water. 00:47.800 --> 00:50.880 So I wanted to go ahead and submit another episode. 00:50.880 --> 00:54.120 This will be my third this year. 00:54.120 --> 00:59.400 Trying to do my part, I guess I could call it a New Year's Resolution of enlistening the Hacker 00:59.400 --> 01:04.360 Public Radio for a long time and I've only submitted two episodes prior to this year. 01:04.360 --> 01:07.680 Wanted to try to contribute and do my part. 01:07.680 --> 01:15.120 So today's story is a tale of Wonder, Anxst, and Woe. 01:15.120 --> 01:20.240 In December of last year, 2022, I traveled to Hong Kong for work. 01:20.240 --> 01:25.120 At some point, either on or out or in country, I contracted COVID. 01:25.120 --> 01:28.480 I'm not going to point any political fingers, I'm not going to say anything about points 01:28.480 --> 01:31.720 of origin or anything of that nature. 01:31.720 --> 01:38.280 That's beyond the scope of Hacker Public Radio and my interest. 01:38.280 --> 01:43.120 It's a virus, it exists, I caught it, period, and of story. 01:43.120 --> 01:46.280 Backing up a step. 01:46.280 --> 01:51.280 In preparation for the trip, I was required to have a negative PCR test before I could 01:51.280 --> 01:56.520 even board the plane from the United States, as well as proof of vaccination and at least 01:56.520 --> 01:58.120 one booster shot. 01:58.120 --> 02:06.120 I provided a link to the Hong Kong Department of Health Declaration of Form that I had to complete. 02:06.120 --> 02:09.840 Upon arrival in Hong Kong, I was required to quarantine for three days. 02:09.840 --> 02:14.880 All visitors were at that time, I believe that rule has since changed. 02:14.880 --> 02:20.360 As well, I was required to take a rapid-act antigen test to refer to locally as a rat, 02:20.360 --> 02:23.440 every day for the first seven days. 02:23.440 --> 02:28.880 Also, on the second full day in Hong Kong, I was required to take another clinical PCR 02:28.880 --> 02:32.760 provided at a health center free of charge. 02:32.760 --> 02:38.440 I've also included a link here for the Electronic COVID-19 monitoring and surveillance system 02:38.440 --> 02:43.920 that was required for all visitors at that time to use. 02:43.920 --> 02:51.520 On the third day, I received my PCR and rapid antigen test back as COVID positive. 02:51.520 --> 02:57.400 By law, I was now required to quarantine in my hotel until I could test negative on two consecutive 02:57.400 --> 02:58.880 days. 02:58.880 --> 03:05.640 Since my symptoms were very mild and just a mere irritating sniffle, not even constant, 03:05.640 --> 03:09.920 and a low-grade temperature of maybe one or two degrees above normal, I could stay in the 03:09.920 --> 03:15.200 hotel and was not required to transfer to a public health center. 03:15.200 --> 03:20.080 It was also required to register that positive result on a government website. 03:20.080 --> 03:27.040 That registration kicked off a series of events, including a visit from a health representative. 03:27.040 --> 03:29.560 He stood in the hall, masked, we both were. 03:29.560 --> 03:31.960 I was not permitted to leave the room. 03:31.960 --> 03:38.520 I was required to install an app on my phone called Stay Home Safe, and to wear a wristband 03:38.520 --> 03:44.360 that he issued and connected to my wrist that I presume was a GPS and possibly a pulse 03:44.360 --> 03:51.280 and temperature tracking device as well, and it connected to my phone by Bluetooth. 03:51.280 --> 03:59.120 He confirmed the app was installed, synced it with the watch, and went his merry way. 03:59.120 --> 04:03.520 Now as I kind of hinted at earlier, most of China's quarantine policies have changed 04:03.520 --> 04:10.400 in the weeks since my visit, and they were indeed in a state of rapid flux during my stay. 04:10.400 --> 04:13.960 Current policy, I provided a link to that. 04:13.960 --> 04:22.860 The watch, as I will now refer to it, was a sealed, white, vinyl, or PVC with a sticker 04:22.860 --> 04:23.860 label on top. 04:23.860 --> 04:28.440 I didn't want to risk any repercussions for tampering with the watch, so I wore it as 04:28.440 --> 04:32.640 prescribed and stayed quarantined for a lot of time. 04:32.640 --> 04:37.720 Again, I said, as I said, it did require me to stay confined until I tested negative 04:37.720 --> 04:40.320 on two consecutive days. 04:40.320 --> 04:42.560 This took eight days for me. 04:42.560 --> 04:46.920 On my eighth day of quarantine, after my eighth day of quarantine, rather, I removed the 04:46.920 --> 04:54.000 watch, and went about the original task that I'd been in Hong Kong for for a couple 04:54.000 --> 05:00.560 of days, and then eventually returned to the United States. 05:00.560 --> 05:06.240 After returning home, and having long since removed the Hong Kong SIM card, removed the 05:06.240 --> 05:15.640 app, and, of course, on day 9, removing the watch, I did put it into my baggage and bring 05:15.640 --> 05:22.040 it home with me, and so I am now free to begin my investigation. 05:22.040 --> 05:28.320 When I removed the watch, the only thing that I had on hand that would cut the PVC or 05:28.320 --> 05:31.360 vinyl strap was a steak knife. 05:31.360 --> 05:37.840 I'd cut it as close as possible to the class, but at this point, since I'm not ever 05:37.840 --> 05:42.720 going to wear it again, I didn't notice that there was a faint copper band through the 05:42.720 --> 05:48.560 middle of the strap, and so mindless of the wires that I figured were probably an antenna 05:48.560 --> 05:57.840 or sensor, when I had cut with an exacto as close to the casing on the watch as possible. 05:57.840 --> 06:03.440 First, my intent is to preserve the content of the casing without damage, and really 06:03.440 --> 06:06.840 don't care about the content of the strap. 06:06.840 --> 06:15.180 After removing the vinyl that encased the watch head itself, the remnant of the band 06:15.180 --> 06:22.080 antenna was a visible through the bottom of the body, on the housing on either side. 06:22.080 --> 06:28.160 The top reveals the Bluetooth activity button, which is covered by a patch of clear tape that 06:28.160 --> 06:32.120 also protects four Phillips head screws. 06:32.120 --> 06:38.960 Remove the screws, remove the tape, remove the screws, and the casing came open very easily. 06:38.960 --> 06:45.360 Inside was a simple, I'd say maybe a little bit larger than an American quarter dollar 06:45.360 --> 06:49.640 coin circuit board. 06:49.640 --> 06:56.880 The bottom of which was just a simple CR2050 watch battery. 06:56.880 --> 07:05.480 The top was the Bluetooth activation button, the connectors for the ribbon cable antenna, 07:05.480 --> 07:14.960 I guess it was, and a couple of small programmable chips, and that's it. 07:14.960 --> 07:20.200 I've not been able to identify anything from the markings on the chips, if anybody can. 07:20.200 --> 07:24.200 I welcome an invite comment on this show. 07:24.200 --> 07:29.040 I have included a picture that is a close-up detail of the chip identification numbers 07:29.040 --> 07:31.680 for aiding that process. 07:31.680 --> 07:39.160 The only piece of writing in Chinese on the circuit board was one character that Google 07:39.160 --> 07:43.000 Translate tells me means short. 07:43.000 --> 07:47.680 However, there's a short there, and it looks like it was intentional since it's labeled 07:47.680 --> 07:49.480 to do so. 07:49.480 --> 07:54.400 Beyond that, I have no clue what the actual function of the watch was. 07:54.400 --> 07:58.000 Again, I presume it was GPS because it was tied to my phone. 07:58.000 --> 08:02.280 They wanted to make sure I didn't leave the room, and I did not until I was legally able 08:02.280 --> 08:04.280 to do so. 08:04.280 --> 08:08.120 But again, I invited anybody to try and research those chips, see if they can tell me what 08:08.120 --> 08:09.120 it is. 08:09.120 --> 08:16.840 I really appreciate it to put a huge dollop of salve on my burning curiosity. 08:16.840 --> 08:20.720 So that's my tale of wonder, angst and woe. 08:20.720 --> 08:24.000 I'm feeling much better now, thank you for asking. 08:24.000 --> 08:28.560 No additional signs of COVID in my body. 08:28.560 --> 08:33.280 No additional contact with people who have been tested positive or are currently positive 08:33.280 --> 08:35.120 that I'm aware of. 08:35.120 --> 08:36.680 But I hope you all stay well. 08:36.680 --> 08:38.680 I hope you all stay safe. 08:38.680 --> 08:42.120 I hope to talk to you again in the not too distant future. 08:42.120 --> 08:43.120 Have a good day. 08:43.120 --> 08:51.200 I've put a link in the show notes for a link to the show notes on a real quick web page 08:51.200 --> 08:55.600 that I've put up on a free hosting site. 08:55.600 --> 09:02.960 You'll note that the website itself, I mostly generated by using the ever popular and ever 09:02.960 --> 09:11.520 controversial chatbot GPT and editing the scripts that were generated there in the 09:11.520 --> 09:13.720 bluefish editor. 09:13.720 --> 09:18.320 In order to see this show notes, you'll need to select on the category HPR episodes 09:18.320 --> 09:22.400 and the subcategory title is COVID. 09:22.400 --> 09:28.320 Thanks again and have a good day. 09:28.320 --> 09:33.280 You have been listening to Hecker Public Radio at Hecker Public Radio.org. 09:33.280 --> 09:37.120 Today's show was contributed by a HPR listener like yourself. 09:37.120 --> 09:43.400 If you ever thought of recording podcasts, click on our contributally to find out how easy 09:43.400 --> 09:51.480 it means hosting for HPR has been kindly provided by an onsthost.com, the internet archive 09:51.480 --> 09:53.520 and our synced.net. 09:53.520 --> 09:59.760 On this advice status, today's show is released on our Creative Commons, Attribution, 09:59.760 --> 10:17.680 which is currently available on ourfiresitz. 10:17.680 --> 10:19.800 Hey. 10:19.800 --> 10:24.260 Come over here and join us. 10:24.260 --> 10:26.140 Have a great day. 10:26.140 --> 10:27.140 Take care.